The National Blood Service Agency has said that inadequate voluntary donations remained a major obstacle to achieving sufficient national blood reserves while low voluntary donation and reliance on paid or family-replacement donors leave hospitals exposed in emergencies.

Director-General of NBSA , Prof Sale Yuguda, who disclosed this at a media roundtable on voluntary blood donation and the formal inauguration of the Media Cell for Safe Blood in Abuja stated that Nigeria generates between 24,000 and 25,000 units of blood annually ,significantly below national demand, creating a substantial gap between supply and need.

According to the agency, Nigeria requires approximately 1.8 million to two million units of blood annually to adequately meet national healthcare needs.

‎Yuguda noted that the country needs at least two per cent of its population to participate in blood donation to bridge the supply gap, improve access to safe blood and reduce the pressure on patients’ relatives, who are often compelled to source donors during medical emergencies.

He observed that the NBSA is strengthening its regulatory and monitoring framework to improve the safety, quality and traceability of blood collected and distributed across the country adding that the agency is introducing a National Blood Management System, a digital platform to monitor the collection, processing, distribution and use of donated blood.

Yuguda explained that the electronic system would enable the agency trace every unit of blood from the donor to the recipient and identify the source of any complications arising from transfusion.

The DG said that the agency is also strengthening the registration and regulation of public and private blood banks, stressing that hospitals and blood transfusion establishments must register with the NBSA to ensure compliance with approved standards.

Yuguda stated that the agency is expanding its hospital linkage programme to improve blood distribution and prevent improper transportation and storage.

Under the hospital linkage arrangement, registered health facilities would communicate their blood requirements to the agency to enable it to forecast demand and organise distribution more effectively.

He explained that individuals collecting blood from NBSA centres in ordinary coolers without adequate arrangements for maintaining the required temperature could compromise its quality and safety.

The Director General who was represented by the NBSA Head of the Operations Centre, Dr Aliyu Waziri called for government intervention to make blood available free of charge, stressing that removing financial barriers would improve access for patients requiring transfusion and encourage a stronger culture of voluntary donation.

Yuguda noted that the agency, in collaboration with international partners, had trained personnel from 30 institutions on safe blood donation procedures and clinical transfusion practices, adding that the programme also included training auditors to assess blood transfusion practices in hospitals and ensure compliance with established safety standards.

He disclosed the agency’s plans to establish stem cell and blood banking services, including a database of potential stem cell donors to support patients requiring stem cell transplantation.

Yuguda said the initiative would also explore cord blood banking, which involves preserving stem cells collected from umbilical cord blood after childbirth for possible medical applications.

He urged journalists to increase awareness in order to l address cultural misconceptions surrounding blood collection and related medical procedures in the country.

Earlier, veteran journalist and health communication advocate, Moji Makanjuola, emphasized the need for the media to intensify advocacy for voluntary blood donation, describing public enlightenment as essential to addressing Nigeria’s persistent blood shortage.

She identified misinformation and cultural misconceptions as major barriers, noting that some Nigerians wrongly believed that blood donation caused weakness, infertility, illness or permanent loss of blood.

She called on journalists to counter such beliefs with accurate information from healthcare professional.

According to Makanjuola, journalists should consistently educate Nigerians on the importance of blood donation, eligibility requirements, approved donation centres and the need to donate voluntarily without expecting financial rewards.
Makanjuola highlighted the importance of improving the healthcare infrastructure, particularly at the primary healthcare level, where inadequate electricity and blood storage facilities could undermine the availability of safe blood.

She urged journalists to investigate conditions in healthcare facilities and hold policymakers accountable for ensuring that hospitals had functional blood banks and appropriate equipment.

The health communication advocate further advocated sustained blood donation campaigns throughout the year rather than reliance on emergency appeals when patients urgently required transfusions.

“Journalists should encourage people to become regular voluntary blood donors rather than donating only during emergencies. This helps to maintain a stable supply of safe blood in hospitals and blood banks,” she said.

Also speaking., the Programme Manager, Social and Behaviour Change Communication of the International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH) Samiru Isa,said that Nigeria faces a 40 per cent shortfall in its required national blood reserves .

He identified cultural and religious reservations, misconceptions and fear of infections as major obstacles to voluntary blood donation in Nigeria.

Isa noted that the objectives of the campaign is to grow voluntary donation , recruit more unpaid donors across all six geopolitical zones, dispel myths, address the fears and misconceptions that keep people from donating blood and also build trust in NBSA .

He observed that regular voluntary donation helps ensure that safe blood is available when patients need it adding that the roundtable was organised to strengthen collaboration between the media and relevant stakeholders.

Isah pointed out that the newly inaugurated Media Cell for Safe Blood would facilitate access to credible information, promote responsible health reporting and sustain public awareness.
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‎In his remarks, President of the Health Reporters Association of Nigeria, Joseph Kadiri, called for sustained media advocacy on voluntary blood donation, describing blood as an indispensable component of emergency healthcare.
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‎He pledged the association’s commitment to prioritising blood donation in its health reporting and disclosed that the subject would feature at its forthcoming annual health conference scheduled for November 6.
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At the event, a Media Cell for Safe Blood, aimed at strengthening media advocacy and public awareness on voluntary blood donation was inaugurated by the agency.